Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region April, 2006 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN HATCHIE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Haywood County, Tennessee U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Regional Office 1875 Century Boulevard Atlanta, Georgia 30345 April 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION A. COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN I. BACKGROUND............................................................................................................................1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................1 Refuge Overview ..........................................................................................................................1 Purpose of and Need for the Comprehensive Conservation Plan................................................1 Fish and Wildlife Service ..............................................................................................................2 National Wildlife Refuge System ..................................................................................................2 Legal and Policy Guidance...........................................................................................................3 Existing Partnerships....................................................................................................................4 Ecosystem Context.......................................................................................................................8 Overview .............................................................................................................................8 Threats and Problems ..................................................................................................................9 Conservation Priorities and Initiatives ........................................................................................10 II. THE PLANNING PROCESS ......................................................................................................13 Description of the Planning Process...........................................................................................13 Planning Issues ..........................................................................................................................15 Fish and Wildlife Population Issues ..................................................................................16 Habitat Issues ...................................................................................................................17 Visitor Services and Environmental Education Issues ......................................................18 Refuge Administration and Operation Issues....................................................................19 Land Protection and Conservation Issues ........................................................................19 III. REFUGE DESCRIPTION ...........................................................................................................21 Refuge Purpose..........................................................................................................................21 Topography and Climate ............................................................................................................21 Demography ...............................................................................................................................23 Threatened and Endangered Species........................................................................................23 Avian Species.............................................................................................................................23 Mammals ....................................................................................................................................24 Amphibians and Reptiles............................................................................................................24 Aquatic Species..........................................................................................................................25 Mussels ......................................................................................................................................25 Noxious and Invasive Species....................................................................................................25 Habitats ......................................................................................................................................26 Education and Visitor Services...................................................................................................27 Refuge Administration ................................................................................................................28 Archaeological or Cultural Resources ........................................................................................30 Land Protection and Conservation .............................................................................................30 Refuge-Related Problems ..........................................................................................................31 Conservation Priorities ...............................................................................................................32 Special Management Areas .......................................................................................................33 Wilderness Review .....................................................................................................................33 IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION .....................................................................................................35 Introduction.................................................................................................................................35 Table of Contents i Refuge Vision ............................................................................................................................. 35 Refuge Goals ............................................................................................................................. 35 Comprehensive Conservation Plan - Summary Statement........................................................ 36 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies ..............................................................................................37 Goal 1 -- (Waterfowl)......................................................................................................... 37 Goal 2 -- (Endangered and Threatened Species)............................................................. 38 Goal 3 -- (Migratory Landbirds)......................................................................................... 38 Goal 4 -- (Shorebirds and Waterbirds).............................................................................. 39 Goal 5 -- (Aquatic Resources) .......................................................................................... 40 Goal 6 -- (Resident Wildlife).............................................................................................. 40 Goal 7 -- (Public Use) ....................................................................................................... 41 Goal 8 -- (Administration and Operation) .......................................................................... 42 Goal 9 -- (Land Protection and Conservation) .................................................................. 42 V. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ......................................................................................................... 45 Background ................................................................................................................................ 45 Proposed Projects ...................................................................................................................... 45 Project Descriptions .......................................................................................................... 45 Staffing and Funding .................................................................................................................. 52 Step-Down Management Plans.................................................................................................. 52 Partnership Opportunities........................................................................................................... 55 Monitoring and Evaluation.......................................................................................................... 55 Plan Review and Revision.......................................................................................................... 55 SECTION B. APPENDICES APPENDIX I. GLOSSARY................................................................................................................... 57 APPENDIX II. REFERENCES AND LITERATURE CITED ................................................................. 63 APPENDIX III. RELEVANT LEGAL MANDATES ................................................................................ 67 APPENDIX IV. REFUGE BIOTA ......................................................................................................... 71 APPENDIX V. DECISIONS AND APPROVALS .................................................................................. 91 Intra-Service Section 7 Biological Evaluation............................................................................